UNIVERSAL CITY, Texas – A man with an extensive criminal history was arrested following a multi-agency SWAT operation connected to at least two robberies where suspects allegedly used online platforms to lure male victims, Universal City police said.
Joseph Anthony Aguilar, 18, was taken into custody after investigators linked him to the scheme, officers said. A female suspect remains at large, according to police.
In one of the cases, police said a male victim was pistol-whipped and robbed after being lured to meet someone in person through an online platform.
In the second case, a teenage boy was shot at least three times and robbed on Monday morning after arriving at a location on Villa Drive — near the 1000 block of Pat Booker Road — to meet a girl he had connected with online, investigators said.
The wounded teen made his way to a nearby coffee shop, On The Grind, where bystanders found him and called 911, police said. He was later taken to a hospital and is continuing treatment for non-life-threatening injuries, authorities stated.
Investigators believe both suspects resided at the Villa Mesa Apartments in Universal City.
Aguilar is facing two aggravated robbery charges, Bexar County jail records show.
Advocacy groups focused on online safety are urging parents and guardians to talk with their children about the dangers of online lures and to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
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